Inspiration Comes Randomly

"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it."

-C.S. Lewis

I had an amazing conversation with my director last night. A conversation that surprised me, inspired me, and spurred me on to think about things more deeply.

I got cast in a show! Smoke On the Mountain. I am resolving to not 'care twopence' how people have played my character in the past. Maybe I'll make it an original. :-)

One thing Mrs. Cooper told me was that her parents raised her in a deeply spiritual, Christian home, but it was also a home where she had all the freedom in the world to be creative and expressive. "Bohemian" is what she called it. I think I want to have a home like that one day...

Life is never perfect is it? So many aspects of life can be going so well...but there's always some aspect of reality thrown in there. I'm thankful for that though...reality is what we learn from...not perfection...

Snow!

It snowed today. :-) And because it's the Saturday after coffeehouse, we didn't make it out until nightfall. Virginia is for lovers. Saturdays are for rockstars. And snow? Well, it's for great pics. 

Stuff I'm Learning (about acting, and a little about life too)

So tonight I went to a rehearsal of "into the woods," that show that I'm not in. I've been going the past couple nights, just to watch, soak in the direction, and learn a bit about acting. Tonight I helped with stage managing, because the head stage manager, chad kennedy, my great friend, was tied up elsewhere.
I'm learning more and more that acting has so much to do with expression. You may believe you're in the story 100% but if the audience doesn't see it on your face, it doesn't communicate. And 99% of the time, when we think we're being really expressive, we're not being as expressive as we assume we are. I also observed tonight the importance of always believing in your character and what's going on with them, 100% of the time. There were moments where there were 19 people on stage, and I guarantee you that the random girl in the back didn't really think about anyone watching her...but I sure was. And you know what else? When there are a handful of people going all the way in their commitment to a character, when they're thinking about every lyric they're singing and every movement they're making...and the rest of the cast is simply singing the words and thinking about the blocking that is coming up, it shows. The few SHINE. And you know what else I'm learning? That you can never do excellent musical theater, without experience in acting, without studying it. There are a million beautiful voices out there. But out of those voices, who can act? Who can become a character? Not many people. In order to do excellent musical theater, you have to be able to act. And the idea of growing in that art, that craft, sounds exciting to me. I'm up for the challenge.
Oh, why have I figured out so late what I would have loved to major in? If I could go back today I would double major in English and Theater. Easily. Oh well. I guess not many people do what they majored in anyway.
To be honest, I just want to do what will really bless the Lord. And He gave me certain passions and talents for some reason...what a humble blessing it would be to be able to use them in the future...

musing on friendship...

So I just got back from eating lunch with one of my dearest friends, Lindsay. Lindsay and I met the second day I experienced life at Liberty. Her home happened to be located just on the other side of a concrete wall in our ghetto dorm our first semester. (Dorm 28…I can’t believe I lived there for 3 months…)
I knew I liked her when I first met her. I was mildly intimidated by her because she seemed so poised and well-adjusted to this whole college thing…but I also knew she was one of the few people on that weirdo hall that I actually saw that I might have something in common with.

And did I.

Lindsay has been one of those rare finds of a friend that I can talk to about anything. She’s transparent, vulnerable, and real with me, no matter what’s going on. We’ve made some stupid decisions together, cried together, had a million analytical conversations, and laughed together more times than I could count.
These days our daily routines don’t really include one another. She lives in a house with 3 other girls, is a family and consumer science major, and works all the time waitressing. And me, well I live with a girl that she doesn’t even really know, I’m a communications major, and I’m involved in things like music and theater at Liberty. It’s sort of weird, because we used to have allll the same friends, hang out 24/7, and be ridiculously socially involved with one another.
But today it was really cool. We verbally acknowledged the fact that our lives have changed. We have different friends, are headed in different directions…But, our friendship, our appreciation for one another, our understanding…hasn’t changed one bit.
She even took a moment and thanked me for being a “constant” in her life. A friendship that never changes as far as depth and appreciation…even though time together has become more scarce.
The older I get, and the more life I experience, I’m starting to recognize and embrace the fact that situations and relationships are ever changing and evolving. And rather than hang on to the past, or be depressed about life changing…it’s better to simply smile on that time of life, and be thankful for it. Recognize the fact that someone has walked through your life, and changed you for the better…or contributed to memories that you’ll treasure for life. Life changes. I’m thankful for the blessings of memories and real moments. I’ll not soon forget even one of them.

Why I'm Happy Today

by Hilary Sutton

• God is teaching me an old(er) lesson in a new way. I never really thought that all of a sudden in the Spring of my junior year of college I would not get cast in a musical. But the Lord is really using it to give Himself more glory. What sometimes feels like sorrow just strengthens my affection and dependence on Him.

• I just finished my first voice lesson of the semester. I haven't taken voice since last Spring, and I have a renewed focus and passion. Singing is a beautiful treasure that the Lord blesses some with. I need (and want) to make the most of it. What if I practiced consistently? What if I actually put effort into this fun thing?

• As I was casually strolling through Barnes today, I happenned upon a book that I instantly knew I needed. It's called "Letters to a Young Artist" by Anna Deavere Smith. Ms. Smith has won Tony's for playwrighting and acting. She actually has done a series of 1-woman shows where she plays up to 50 characters in one evening. Enchanting, no? The book is a series of letters to "BZ". "If youare an artist of any age, if you are learning the ropes of your art form, and if you want to learn more about the rules of the road in the business of making and selling art, BZ is you.

Therefore, I am BZ. I guess.

• In addition, I bought a membership to the Writer's Market website today. This is a website that has the inside scoop on marketing and selling writing.

I still haven't narrowed down what I want to do in life...but the longer time passes...the more I feel like I don't have to. :-)

That's all for now...